(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a tool and method for adjusting the height of the wheels of a floor sanding machine.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
The design of floor sanding machines has remained largely unchanged for many years. An example of such a machine is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,954 to Barous, incorporated herein by reference. The weight of a floor sanding machines is typically supported on a set or pair of rear wheels and on the sanding disk that is mounted in front of, and between the wheels. This arrangement results in a sanding disk that rotates about an axis that is not normal or perpendicular to the plane of the floor being sanded. Additionally, the sanding disk has a sanding surface that is on a planar surface or slightly conical surface centered about the axis of rotation of the sanding disk. This geometry crates a sanding contact area along the leading edge of the edger.
The sanding contact area for an edger is determined by the diameter and sanding surface of the sanding disk and the shape of the sanding surface of the sanding disk. Typically, the sanding disk will include a support surface that is used to support the sanding material. This sanding support surface is generally planar and defined by an area made of a soft rubber material. With use, the support surface and the sanding surface, which follows the support surface, may become slightly conical or even spherical. Also, vibrations and wear alter the orientation or angle of the support surface. Therefore, the orientation or angle of the support surface relative to the wheels must be adjusted to compensate for these changes.
Historically, the adjustment of the support surface relative to the wheels has been carried out by trial and error. The technician would adjust the height of the support of the wheels relative to the frame or body of the edger until the correct angle of the support surface relative to the floor is achieved. Unfortunately, the trial and error method requires many, time consuming, iterations before the technician can actually arrive at the proper setting. Accordingly, there remains a need for a system or method that allows the quick adjustment of the wheels of a floor edger to achieve the proper setting of the sanding surface.
It has been discovered that the problems left unanswered by known art can be solved by providing a tool that allows a technician to gage or set the proper height of the wheels of a floor edger, the floor edger being of the type having a pair of wheels, casters or other support assemblies that set or determine the angle of a support surface for a sanding disk relative to the floor, the tool includes a body supporting a leading gage surface, an angle gage surface, and a pair of wheel setting surfaces. The body may be formed by a frame of one-piece construction or include adjustable components that will allow the user to select the desired angle for the wheels or supports and then adjust the wheels or supports to translate this angle to the support surface.
According to one example of the invention, the body consists of an angled, V-shaped frame formed by a pair of legs joined at a vertex area. The vertex area of the V-shaped frame will support the leading gage surface. The angle gage surface will extend across the legs that form the V-shaped frame, and the pair of wheel setting surfaces are mounted at or near the ends of the legs of the V-shaped frame. It is also contemplated that this example will include wheel guides that will help restrain the wheels at a desired position to ensure that the wheel setting surfaces make appropriate tangential contact with the wheels.
In addition to the above example, it is contemplated that the disclosed invention may be practiced by way of numerous examples. In addition to the above example, it is contemplated that the body may be a single, generally flat sheet of material, preferably stiff or generally rigid material. Also, it is contemplated that if a V-shaped frame is used, that each of the legs may be adjustable, meaning that they may extend by way of a telescoping mechanism or by way of frame components that clamp the legs at desired locations along the legs.
Additionally, it is contemplated that the leading gage surface may be adjustable to accommodate or engage different types of support surfaces. For example, a rest or a pair of engagement arms that engage the wheel that contains the support surface may be used to index the position of the frame of the tool. Similarly, an indexing arm may be positioned on a part of the structure of the housing found around the disk that includes the support surface or even the body of the edger.
Still further, it is contemplated that the angle gage surface may be adjustable to allow the user to select the angle at which the support surface will be set. A similar result may be achieved by providing adjustments for the pair of wheel setting surfaces.
It should also be understood that while the above and other advantages and results of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, showing the contemplated novel construction, combinations and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it should be clearly understood that changes in the precise embodiments of the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.